Cover to Cover
by pretty peach
Summary: ExT Tomoyo runs into Eriol at the library and tries very hard to get something she wants. Oneshot.


She wasn't sure why that particular book caught her eye; the spine was creased and a faded brown and it was difficult to read the title. It intrigued her, though, and so she slid it from the dusty shelf. She opened it gingerly, laying it carefully in her palm. Each page she turned erupted in a puff of fine powder, almost making her sneeze. However, her inspection of the volume was sliced in half when she heard someone call, "Tomoyo-chan!"

Daidouji Tomoyo brightened when she recognized Chicharu a few rows over. She returned the book to its slot, meaning to return to it within five minutes. Waving, she made her way over to the grinning brunette.

After chatting for much longer than she had anticipated, Tomoyo returned to where the intriguing book was housed. Unfortunately, someone was standing in her exact spot and holding said tomb. She quickly recognized the person to be Hiirigizawa Eriol, an evil enigma since grade school. _Of course_, Tomoyo thought exasperatedly.

He was leafing through the volume just as she had been not fifteen minutes before. Very quickly, Tomoyo weighed her options in her mind. She could leave on the spot, but she didn't know the title or author to look up later. She could leave, then come back later and hope that he hadn't taken it out of the library. Or she could politely ask to see the book for a few brief moments; enough time to catch the title. She decided on the last option; it would be too rude to leave now that he was aware of her presence.

"Hiirigizawa," she began hesitantly. Her heart began to beat faster, and she tried very hard to ignore it. "I don't mean to bother you, but I don't suppose I could see that book for a moment?"

He stopped reading and looked at her, a grin on his lips and clear blue eyes sparkling. "Hello Daidouji-san. Imagine meeting you here."

"Yes," she replied in a rather strained voice. "A _public_ library."

Eriol laughed, and Tomoyo was forced to admit that he really was quite attractive. She folded her arms under her chest as he asked mockingly, "What's so special about this book, Daidouji-san, that it managed to catch your eye?"

"Nothing in particular," she replied grudgingly. She steered the conversation back to her reason for striking it up in the first place. "I just thought I might take a quick look. At the book? It won't take long."

"Perhaps its plainness is what intrigued you," he said simply, snapping it shut with one hand. "How about we strike a deal, Daidouji-san? I'll give you this book…but first, you must explain one thing to me."

She had no choice but to take his bait, but she refused to ask. Instead, she waited impatiently for him to continue.

He leaned against the bookshelf casually, folding his arms across his chest. "I've asked you to dinner six times in the last month, and each time you've refused. I want to know why."

Tomoyo glared at him, and then at the book he held in his right hand. Perhaps she didn't want that damn book so badly, anyway. "Unfortunately, Hiirigizawa, I don't make deals with anyone."

"Then we'll subtract the book from the equation," he replied lightly, sliding the book back in its place, "and we can carry on our friendly conversation. We _are_ friends, you know."

"Oh, I'm aware of that," she agreed brokenly. She tried to reach for the book but he caught her wrist mid-air. He shook his head slowly at her as if berating a child, a small smile still on his face. It infuriated her that he found this so amusing.

"Really, Daidouji-san, what do you find so repulsive about the idea of sitting through dinner with me? Conversation, candles, wine?"

Tomoyo suddenly felt very frustrated toward the sapphire-eyed man in front of her. "Hiirigizawa," she began dangerously in a soft tone. His eyes widened in surprise as she advanced toward him. "Perhaps if I honestly thought you were seriously interested in me, I might be more inclined to accept your offer. As it stands, I saw you with Haruna-chan yesterday."

Eriol leaned in closer to her, so much so that Tomoyo felt herself blush. He seemed to be preoccupied with her mouth. He was concentrating very hard on it. "I'm very serious about you, Daidouji-san."

"Then why were you asking out Haruna-chan?" she persisted stubbornly. She couldn't seem to back away from him, and she knew she was losing the battle.

"_Talking_ to Haruna-chan," he corrected, and looked at her for a moment without speaking. "You're making excuses, and you know what I think?"

She shook her head a fraction of an inch to either side. He smiled and fingered a lock of her ebony hair, twisting it with a finger. "I think that you're afraid."

"I'm not afraid," she insisted, hoping her voice did not falter. Her mind vaguely registered that he was quite tall; she stood looking up at him and forced herself to meet his gaze.

"You're afraid; but more stubborn than anything else," Eriol admitted reluctantly. Very quickly, he moved his other hand to the back of her head; she could feel his fingers weave through her hair. For a few moments that seemed to last quite a lot longer, she was certain he was going to kiss her.

When he was only a centimeter away from her mouth, he stopped and smiled. Tomoyo felt something being pushed into her hand and she had the distinct feeling he was laughing at her. Just before pulling back, he murmured, "Pick you up Tuesday?"

He was walking away from her more quickly than her brain could register, and she felt kind of cold without him. She found herself clutching the brown faded book to her chest with one hand. The other pressed against her abdomen in an attempt to calm the butterflies fluttering around her stomach. In that moment, she felt so exasperated that she almost felt like jumping him. Glaring at his retreating back, Tomoyo relented in a harsh whisper, "8:00, and not a second later!"

His laughter reached her ears as he rounded the corner and disappeared from view. Not even bothering to look at the book again, Tomoyo dropped it into her purse and headed toward the check-out counter. She fully intended to read that damn book from cover to cover.

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own it! If you've read, why not review? 


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